


Reunion

by ami_ven



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Getting Together, M/M, Not Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Compliant, POV Outsider, Season/Series 02
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-10
Updated: 2017-04-10
Packaged: 2018-10-17 03:50:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10585842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ami_ven/pseuds/ami_ven
Summary: A moment ago, Skye would have sworn that the building was empty except for their team, but all of a sudden, there was a man standing in front of them, a bow in his hand and an arrow aimed at Coulson’s heart.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written back in 2015 but only just finished and posted. Set vaguely AoS Season 2, so Daisy is Skye here.

Skye followed Coulson carefully through the ruins of the office building, stepping over broken glass and mangled furniture.

“What happened?” she asked— this hadn’t just been an explosion, there were oddly round burn marks everywhere, huge fist-shaped holes in the standing sections of wall, and at least three bloody arrows sticking out of dead Hydra agents.

“The Avengers,” said Coulson, like it was an answer. Maybe it was.

“Don’t move,” snapped a voice, suddenly.

A moment ago, Skye would have sworn that the building was empty except for their team, but all of a sudden, there was a man standing in front of them, a bow in his hand and an arrow aimed at Coulson’s heart.

“Whoa, hey!” yelled Skye, raising her gun to point at the archer, but Coulson didn’t move, his own weapon still held loosely at his side.

“Barton—” he began.

“Don’t!” the man, Barton, interrupted. “Don’t you dare!”

“It’s me, Barton. Clint. I—”

“You’re not Coulson,” he snapped, furious. “Phil Coulson is dead and I— You’re not him.”

“I am, Clint,” said Coulson.

“Fury told us you were dead,” Barton insisted. He was breathing hard, but his arrow never wavered. “You _died_.”

“Yes, I did,” Coulson said, gently. “I just didn’t stay that way.”

“Project TAHITI,” said Barton.

Coulson frowned. “You’re not cleared to know about that, agent.”

The ghost of a smile flickered over Barton’s face and instantly vanished. “Didn’t really worry about clearance after SHIELD fell, sir.”

“Sir?”

“Force of habit,” said Barton, wary again. “If you _are_ Coulson, you’ll know what happened in Budapest.”

“Please,” said Coulson. “You and Natasha can’t agree on what happened in Budapest and you were both there. But if you’d like, I can tell Agent Skye about the op we pulled in Guatemala.”

“I’d be interested to hear that one myself,” said May, coming around a pile of crumbling concrete to join them. “But it’s him, Barton.”

“TAHITI?” the archer asked.

She nodded. “I argued against it, but Fury made the call. He assigned me to monitor, and if necessary, to neutralize the situation.”

“Good,” said Barton. “If you have to go down, it should be… it should be somebody you trust.” He paused. “But then he’s… it’s _really_ …”

“It’s really me, Barton,” said Coulson.

The bow and arrow vanished so fast that Skye barely saw them move, and Barton darted forward to throw his arms around Coulson.

“You _died_ , Phil,” he said, muffled by the fabric of Coulson’s suit jacket.

“Barton— Clint, I had to,” said Coulson, bringing his hands up tentatively to the other man’s shoulders. “Loki had to be stopped and there wasn’t time for anything else.”

Barton pulled back to look at him, but didn’t let go. “You _died_ , Phil,” he repeated. “You died and it was my fault and—”

“It was _not_ your fault,” Coulson interrupted. “It was Loki’s fault, and probably my own, but it was definitely not your fault, Clint.”

“Of course it’s my fault!” said Barton. “I ruin everything. Every good thing I’ve ever had gets taken away and you…” He let out a shaky breath. “You were the best.”

He tried to pull away, looking embarrassed, but Coulson didn’t let go. “I had the best to work with,” he said. “Talk to me, Barton.”

Barton stopped resisting, letting his head rest against Coulson’s shoulder. “I had a lot of time to think during my psych eval, sir. There’s still a lot of guilt about what happened while I was under Loki’s control, but I think I’m okay. Except for you. I was your _partner_ , Phil, and I should have been watching your back.”

“You were exactly where you should have been,” Coulson told him. “You’re an Avenger, now.”

Barton shook his head. “Wrong place, right time,” he said. “Cap didn’t know any better than to keep me around.”

“ _Clint_.” Coulson pushed on his shoulder, gentle but firm, until the archer raised his head, then slid his hand up to curve along Barton’s jaw. “Your name was first on the list.”

“What?”

“When Fury asked me to compile a list of potential Avengers, your name was first on the list.”

“But that’s…” Barton blinked at him, looking utterly confused. “You were looking for a team of _superheroes_. How did I even make the list at all?”

“You were first,” Coulson repeated. “Stark had his armor, Cap had Erskine’s serum, Banner had his radiation, Thor is an alien, Natasha is… well. And it’s admirable that they’ve all chosen to use their powers for good, but you are an ordinary human who has _made_ himself a hero.”

“I…” Barton began.

“You always did believe the best of people,” said another voice.

Skye jumped, annoyed when Coulson, Barton and May didn’t so much as twitch. “What now!?” There hadn’t been anyone else in the room a moment ago. “Wait, you’re the Black Widow!”

“Don’t hurt him, Natasha,” said Barton. “It’s really Phil.”

“That’s exactly why I _would_ hurt him,” she said, mildly. Then, her expression softened. “May.”

“Romanov,” replied May. “We should give them a minute.”

“ _Only_ a minute,” Natasha agreed, and Barton gave her a little wave, still holding tight to Coulson’s jacket with his other hand. “Come along, little one.”

“What, me?” asked Skye, then jogged to catch up with them. “Wait, is A.C. dating Hawkeye now?”

“He wasn’t,” said Natasha. “But he’d better be.”

“Here, here,” said May.

THE END


End file.
